Showing posts with label fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fantasy. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 12, 2026

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #615: Emily Wilde's History of Dark Faerie by Heather Fawcett

 


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher: Curmudgeonly scholar Emily Wilde must brave the beautiful but haunted Black Forest and open a portal to a long-lost, eldritch realm dreaded by the Folk, in this fourth installment of the New York Times bestselling series.

Driven by an insatiable scientific curiosity, Emily Wilde has made a name for herself as the world’s foremost scholar of faeries. Along the way, she’s rescued a faerie kingdom and helped her now-husband—fellow professor Wendell Bambleby, dashing and infuriating in equal measure—regain his throne. And while understanding her fellow mortals has never been her strong suit, she’s also made a small number of friends.

But two years later, one of those friends goes missing in the beautiful but faerie-haunted Black Forest in Germany, a region of picturesque villages and sinister Folk. And if she’s to save him, Emily will have to reckon with the darker side of her own nature, and how ruthless she’s prepared to be to solve the most tantalizing of scholarly mysteries: the history of the ancient and long-lost realm she’s named Dark Faerie, the only place the Folk fear.

But Emily is not alone—she has her beloved Wendell, and her niece Ariadne, who hopes to follow in her footsteps. Told from the perspective of all three characters, this installment of the Emily Wilde series opens a magical portal to the most wondrous and dread faerie realm of all.

Emily Wilde's History of Dark Faerie by Heather Fawcett is expected out January 19th, 2027 from Del Rey.

Why am I waiting on this book? Heather Fawcett writes well. Her characters are interesting and the plot and world building is awesome. I've read the first three books in the series and enjoyed them. I want to know who gets in trouble. And I want to know what's next for Emily, Wendell, and Ariadne.

What book are you waiting on? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our ever-growing TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Tuesday, August 4, 2026

Teaser Tuesday: A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

 


Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR! You can also just share what you are currently reading. We make it very easy to play along. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3! Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Ambrosia at the Purple Booker.

1: Grab your current read. 2: Open to a random page. 3: Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Share the title and author so that other people can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teaser!


Book 2

 "You know, you are not a stupid person, Din." "Thank you, ma'am," I said, pleased. "Or rather, not an unusually stupid person." "Thank you, ma'am," I said, far less pleased.

Ana talking to Din. This is 10% through on my Kindle.

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett was released April 1, 2025 by Del Rey. This is book 2 in the Shadow of the Leviathan series. Book 3, A Trade of Blood, is out today from Del Rey.

Book 3


Tuesday, July 7, 2026

Teaser Tuesday: The Wild Wood by Charles de Lint

 


Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR! You can also just share what you are currently reading. We make it very easy to play along. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3! Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Ambrosia at the Purple Booker.

1: Grab your current read. 2: Open to a random page. 3: Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Share the title and author so that other people can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teaser!

 The paper was so virgin, so unnaturally white, that anything she placed upon it--graphite, ink, watercolor--seemed an intrusion, a desecration. Any line she might draw would seem no better than a child's crayon marks on a kitchen wall. 

p. 12  The Wild Wood by Charles de Lint

The Wild Wood was published in 1994 by Bantam Books.




Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Teaser Tuesday: When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

 


Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR! You can also just share what you are currently reading. We make it very easy to play along. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3! Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Ambrosia at the Purple Booker.

1: Grab your current read. 2: Open to a random page. 3: Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Share the title and author so that other people can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teaser!



 

Finally, because I had come to see the little old lady, and I was nothing if not a purposeful little girl, I cleared my throat and demanded to know where she was. The dragon looked at me, startled. It said nothing. It winked one eye. It held one finger to lipless jaws as though to say "Shh."

From: When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill. The Kindle edition of the book was released May 3, 2022 from Doubleday. It's currently available for $2.99 on Amazon. This is not an affiliate link.

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #605: A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett

 


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher: Detective Ana Dolabra must prove a condemned man’s innocence and confront a terrifying magical technology in this fantasy-mystery from the bestselling author of The Tainted Cup, winner of the Hugo and World Fantasy awards.

The heir to one of the Empire’s most powerful families sits in jail, accused of murder. His hands are covered in the victim’s blood, and he can neither deny his guilt nor explain his actions.

But if the great detective Ana Dolabra cannot save him from the noose, the farming canton of Sapirdad will explode into war, threatening to plunge the whole Empire into starvation and chaos. 

As Ana investigates—her assistant Dinios Kol, as ever, acting as her eyes and ears—she fears her task is even more daunting than it seemed. For this murder is just the latest in a deeper, subtler web of death, woven by a mastermind with an ancient weapon at his disposal.

With their customary skill, Ana and Din pursue their adversary through the canton’s wild ranges, sprawling ranches, and reeking slaughterhouses. Yet even they are not prepared to learn the horrifying secret behind their opponent’s powers.

A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett is expected out August 4, 2026 from Del Rey. This is book 3 in the Shadow of the Leviathan series featuring Ana and Din.

Why am I waiting on this book? I've read the first two books in the series. And I enjoyed them. The character, Ana, is weird and wonderful. She has an encyclopedic knowledge of all things pertaining to the world in which they live. Some of her knowledge is historical or obscure. She is a genius and yet very human. Din does her legwork and is her eyes and sometimes her ears. I think it's really interesting to watch how they work together to solve mysteries.

What book are you waiting on? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #601: Tales from the Territory by Travis Baldree

 


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher:  The world fell in the love with the cozy fantasy world of the No.1 New York Times bestselling series that started with Legends & Lattes and continued in Bookshops & Bonedust and Brigands & Breadknives.

Now award-winning storyteller Travis Baldree takes us back to the Territory in a heart-warming set of five stories, three making their first appearances in Tales from the Territory, that give readers a brand new look at beloved characters.

The delightful “Goblins & Greatcoats” is a tale of murder and intrigue that introduces Zyll, a goblin with too many pockets and a disturbing affinity for cutlery on a rain-soaked night that features four adventurers, a pair of corpses, a junk-drawer knife, some unfortunate taxidermy, and a beleaguered Gatewarden.

We all know what happened in Legends & Lattes, where retired-soldier Viv dreamed of opening a cafe and ended up with a found family and perhaps the love of her life. “Just a Thimbleful” tells us how one of the most beloved of those family members, Thimble, found his way from a frustrating and unhappy house to creating sweet treats that brought Legends & Lattes to life.

Tandri is a succubus and being a succubus comes with...well...certain expectations and pressures. In “Mirograph” we meet Tandri as an art student at Ackers University trying to find a way to be seen as something else, something more.

And in the longest story here, “Cavaliers & Coffees,” we get a glimpse of trouble for our cafe crew when a new and unscrupulous business comes into town, stealing all of Viv and Tandri's ideas, undercutting them for price and putting everything they've worked for in peril.

Tales from the Territory is another triumph of low stakes and high fantasy, of friends trying to make their way in a challenging world.

Tales from the Territory is expected out September 30, 2026 from Subterranean Press.

Why am I waiting on this book? I have to admit that I've only read the first book, Legends and Lattes, but I did enjoy it. The other two novels are on my TBR list. I enjoy short stories, so adding this to my TBR was a no-brainer. The combination of low stakes and high fantasy is a winner. I think if you enjoyed any of the other books in the same world by Travis Baldree then you will enjoy this collection.

What book are you waiting on? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #598: Brian Froud’s Green Women

 


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.


From the publisher: 

The long-awaited new book―with gorgeous, all-new art―by Brian Froud, the “grandfather of faerie art"

In this compelling collection, acclaimed women writers from around the world share words and stories of fantasy and myth alongside Brian Froud’s provocative portraits of more than 70 Green Women. There are a range of voices, some humorous and witty, others nurturing and maternal, others dark and threatening.

New York Times bestselling and award-winning artist Brian Froud, who brought to life Trolls and Faeries, is also beloved for his conceptual design work with Jim Henson on the classic films The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. With Green Women, his gorgeous art illuminates an entirely new universe.

Open the pages of this gorgeous gift-ready book to meet the Green Women.

"While the Green Men peer down from their church roof bosses, and through their tendrils of oak and ivy, the Green Women move among us. Brian Froud has met more than a few of them. It's their eyes―deep wells of wisdom, stories and the slow, ancient song of the forest." ―Alan Lee, artist and concept designer of the film adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit

“I have always been fascinated by the carvings of ‘foliate heads’ that peer out of the shadows of medieval churches and cathedrals, generally known as the Green Man, yet their origins, meaning, and purpose remain elusive. As I attempted to capture them on canvas, however, I became aware of a deeper mystery. There are so many Green Man figures, but where was the Green Woman? Why had she been relegated to the spiritual shadows? I started to paint again. Faces emerged from the darkness of the unknown: Green Women in multiple forms, all insisting that they should be seen and heard.” ―Brian Froud

Contributors include:

  • Sharon Blackie
  • C. S. E. Cooney
  • Maria DeBlassie
  • Carolyn Dunn
  • Sarah Beth Durst
  • Amal El-Mohtar
  • Kate Forsyth
  • Wendy Froud
  • Claudine Glot
  • Theodora Goss
  • Elizabeth Hand
  • Frances Hardinge
  • Joanne Harris
  • Kat Howard
  • Angela Mi Young Hur
  • Ai Jiang
  • Kathleen Jennings
  • Alaya Dawn Johnson
  • T. Kingfisher
  • Ellen Kushner
  • Katherine Langrish
  • Carolyne Larrington
  • Karen Lord
  • O. R. Melling
  • Jeannette Ng
  • Sofía Rhei
  • Lisa Schneidau
  • Delia Sherman
  • Angela Slatter
  • Shveta Thakrar
  • Tiffany Trent
  • Lisa Tuttle
  • Catherynne M. Valente
  • Kris Waldherr
  • Jo Walton
  • Kit Whitfield
  • Terri Windling

Brian Froud's Green Women: with Original Contributions by Extraordinary Women Writers of Fantasy and Myth is expected out October 6, 2026 from Abrams Books. It is currently available for pre-order on Amazon as well as other places.

Why am I waiting on this book? I love Brian Froud's art. I find the premise of the book interesting. And that is an all-star lineup of contributors.

What book are you waiting on? Leave a note in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our ever growing TBR lists. Thanks for stopping by! Happy Reading!

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #588: Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous by Autumn K. England

 


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.


From the publisher: STARDEW VALLEY meets STUDIO GHIBLI in a charming cozy fantasy about healing, redemption, and the subtle magic of simple living. Perfect for fans of Can't Spell Treason Without Tea and The Spellshop. Welcome home, weary traveler.

When Oaklin Nettlewood accidentally joined an evil world-ending cult, mind control magic forced them to do unspeakable things. Years later, the realm's heroes have finally saved the day, defeated the villain, and shattered the last remnants of the spell...leaving destruction in their wake. And so, with a spell-damaged memory and whole bushel of trauma, Oaklin escapes to a small farm on the edge of Mossley's Rest and swears an oath: After all the things they were forced to do with their magic, they will never use it again. Ever.

The no-nonsense ghost granny who lives in Oaklin's house has other ideas. As she coaxes Oaklin out of their shell and back into the world, they find companionship (a grumpy horse and a very good dog), friendship (a local bard and magical baker who should just kiss already), and tentative romance (a paladin-librarian who makes Oaklin's heart come alive for the first time in ages.) Magic even seems possible again—though strictly for foraging magical mushrooms and protecting the farm from bugs.

Healing comes in gentle waves, and Oaklin doesn't have to do it alone. So what does it mean when an inquisitor comes to town to hunt former cultists just as Oaklin begins to think that maybe, just maybe, they deserve a happy ending after all?

Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous is expected out June 2, 2026 from Poisoned Pen Press. This cover is from a special edition.

Why am I waiting on this book? Wondering how they accidentally joined a world-ending cult. I find the comparison with Studio Ghibli intriguing. And I love the idea of a paladin-librarian.

What book are you waiting on? Leave a note in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our ever growing TBR lists. Happy Reading!

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #586: Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher

 


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the PublisherFrom New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes Nine Goblins, a tale of low fantasy and high mischief.

No one knows exactly how the Goblin War began, but folks will tell you that goblins are stinking, slinking, filthy, sheep-stealing, henhouse-raiding, obnoxious, rude, and violent. Goblins would actually agree with all this, and might throw in “cowardly” and “lazy” too for good measure.

But goblins don't go around killing people for fun, no matter what the propaganda posters say. And when a confrontation with an evil wizard lands a troop of nine goblins deep behind enemy lines, goblin sergeant Nessilka must figure out how to keep her hapless band together and get them home in one piece.

Unfortunately, between them and safety lies a forest full of elves, trolls, monsters, and that most terrifying of creatures…a human being.

Nine Goblins: A Tale of Low Fantasy and Mischief by T. Kingfisher is expected out January 20, 2026 from Tordotcom.

Why am I waiting on this book? This book intrigues me. It sounds like it will have humor and adventure. And T. Kingfisher is an excellent writer. I like the shift in perspective to the goblin's point of view.

What book are you waiting on?  Leave a note about it in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our ever growing TBR lists. Happy Reading!

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Book Review: A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

 

Ana Dolabra and her assistant Dinios Kol are called in again to solve a seemingly impossible mystery. This time a man has disappeared from a locked room at the far edge of the empire. Ana and Din quickly discover there is more murder than missing about this crime. And discovering one mystery leads to another and things snowball fast. The number and complexity of mysteries puts Ana to work. The suspects and crimes seem impossible. And the perpetrators seem one step ahead of Ana which is nigh on to impossible. 

We see what's going on filtered through Din's eyes, much the same way Ana does. And we are privy to his worry that Ana may finally have met her match.

This is the sequel to The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. It's the second book in the Shadow of the Leviathan series. It was released April 1, 2025 from Del Rey.

The setting for A Drop of Corruption is another well realized portion of the world we were introduced to in The Tainted Cup. This time we are at the edge of the Empire bumping hips with a more primitive autocracy. Some people are born into a life of nobility. Others are born as slaves. And still others are the ruling class of the autocracy. There is a busy port town which is primarily run by people from the Empire. More rural areas are home to the nobility and their slaves. And then there is the capital city where negotiations are taking place to give them a place in the Empire. The world is complex and fully realized.

I have read other reviews that compare the partnership of Din and Ana to Watson and Sherlock. This seems valid since both are told from the non  eccentric genius's point of view. And Ana and Sherlock are masters at deduction. My favorite other character is Malo who has enhanced vision, smell, and hearing. These things help Ana and Din to move towards solving the mysteries at hand.

The book gets your attention and keeps it. Every scene helps move the plot forward. There are very few slower scenes. And as I said, each mystery leads to another. They are not all solved until the big reveal scene, although we get many clues along the way. 

I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. It's very well written and enjoyable as a fantasy mystery. If you read The Tainted Cup and enjoyed it, this book is not to be missed. It can be read as a standalone, but it's better read in order. I recommend this book to people who like their mysteries in new, fantastical, fully realized settings. It's also perfect for fans of locked room mysteries.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion.

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Teaser Tuesday: The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers


Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR! You can also just share what you are currently reading. We make it very easy to play along. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3! Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Ambrosia at the Purple Booker.

1: Grab your current read. 2: Open to a random page. 3: Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Share the title and author so that other people can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teaser!


 No one else is in the room, so she allows herself the pleasure of running her hands across the spines, listening to the little voice in her head that chatters their contents to her. She's always been good at this language -- it's why Chiron had been so eager to put her to work so young. As a thief, it's been indispensable. (pp 66-67)
The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers was published November 2025 by Redhook.
What have you been reading? Have you got a teaser to share with us? Leave it in the comments. Happy reading!

Wednesday, November 12, 2025

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #578: The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers

 


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.


From the publisher: A disgraced bookseller journeys into a lush, wondrous world of magical books, deadly ink magic, and secret societies, in this darkly spellbinding standalone fantasy novel from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The City of Stardust.  


We are but story made manifest...

If you want a story that will change your life, Chiron’s bookshop is where you go. For those lucky enough to grace its doors, it’s a glimpse into a world of powerful bargains and deadly ink magic.

For Cassandra Fairfax, it’s a reminder of everything she lost, when Chiron kicked her out and all but shuttered the shop. Since then, she’s used her skills in less ethical ways, trading stolen books and magical readings to wealthy playboys and unscrupulous collectors. 

Then Chiron dies under mysterious circumstances. And if Cassandra knows anything, it’s this: the bookshop must always have an owner.

But she's not the only one interested. There's Lowell Sharpe, a dark-eyed, regrettably handsome bookseller she can't seem to stop bumping into; rival owners who threaten Cassandra from the shadows; and, of course, Chiron's murderer, who is still on the loose. 

As Cassandra tries to uncover the secrets her mentor left behind, a sinister force threatens to unravel the world of the magical bookshops entirely...

Why am I waiting on this book? It's a standalone fantasy taking place below an alternate London. I love the thought of magical bookshops under the city. I enjoy stories about bookstores anyway, so a magical bookstore is icing on the cake. And it's a mystery. What happened to Chiron? Who did it? It looks to me like it will be a satisfying, creative read.

The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers is expected out November 18th, 2025 from Redhook.

What book are you waiting on? Share it and a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our ever growing To Be Read lists. Thanks for coming by. Happy Reading!

Wednesday, September 3, 2025

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #568: Descendants of the Big House by C. Vonzale Lewis

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher: Beatrice Monroe is still getting used to the knowledge that she was born a champion for Good and Evil. She spends her days combing through her great grandmother’s journals trying to find answers to what this newfound ability means for her as a member of law enforcement.

When a woman walks into her precinct claiming her aunt was murdered, Beatrice discovers a link between their families that may just have the answers she needs. But those answers are not easy to find. Because this mystery’s roots are buried in the past with five young girls and what they gave birth to…in The Big House.

Descendants of the Big House is a standalone installment in A Horde of Dead Poets collection featuring seven authors and their stories inspired by famous literary poems. If you often find yourself steering toward a dark, mysterious, isolated location; if family curses haunt you and unreliable narrators keep you in suspense, you won’t want to miss a single volume in this gripping collection.

Perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher, Simone St. James, Stephen King, and Shirley Jackson.

Descendants of the Big House by C. Vonzale Lewis is expected out October 14th, 2025 from Percy's Heart Press.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like that it is a standalone. I'm not familiar with the Horde of Dead Poets, but this has piqued my interest. It sounds interesting combining a mystery with what sounds like either dark fantasy or horror. I'm wondering what's in The Big House and how it fits in with the the murder and the woman's family.

What book are you waiting on? Share it and a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by. Happy Reading!



Wednesday, August 27, 2025

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #567: Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett

 


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.


From the publisher: A woman who runs a cat rescue in 1920s Montreal turns to a grouchy but charming wizard to help save the shelter in this heartwarming cozy fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of the Emily Wilde series.

Agnes Aubert leads a meticulously organized life—and she likes it that way. As the proudly type-A manager of a much-needed cat rescue charity, she has devoted her life to finding forever homes for lost cats. 

But after she is forced to move the cat shelter, Agnes learns that her new landlord is using her charity as a front—for an internationally renowned and thoroughly disreputable magic shop. Owned by the disorganized—not to mention self-absorbed, irritating, but also decidedly handsome—Havelock Renard, magician and failed Dark Lord, the shop draws magical clientele from around the world, partly due to the quality of Havelock’s illicit goods as well as their curiosity about his shadowy past and rumors of his incredible powers. Agnes's charity offers the perfect cover for illegal magics.

Agnes couldn’t care less about the shop—magical intrigue or not, there are cats to be rescued. But when an enemy from Havelock’s past surfaces, the magic shop—and more importantly, the cat shelter—are suddenly in jeopardy. To save the shelter, will Agnes have to set aside her social conscience and protect the man who once tried to bring about the apocalypse—and is now trying to steal her heart?

Havelock is everything Agnes thinks she doesn't need in her life: chaos, mischief, and a little too much adventure. But as she gets to know him, she discovers he's more than the dark magician of legend, and that she may be ready for a little intrigue—and romance—in her life. After all, second chances aren't just for rescue cats...

Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett is expected out February 17th, 2026 from Del Rey.

Why am I waiting on this book? I've enjoyed the other things I've read by Heather Fawcett, especially the Emily Wilde series. I also enjoy books written about the 1920s era. Agnes sounds like a bit of a curmudgeon while Havelock sounds like the opposite. I'd like to read about how they resolve their differences, if they do, and about how the cats make out. Also, I love the cover.

What book are you waiting on? Share it and a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by. Happy Reading!